Lincoln and Booth. They are rivals. They are brothers. Lincoln, the elder, is trying to make a go at honest work after years of hustling three-card monte; and Booth, the younger, is a wannabe looking to learn the tricks of his brother’s illegitimate trade. Trapped by their poverty, family history and ominously prophetic given names, these two black men find themselves locked in a dangerous game of deception, sparring over just which one’s the Player and which one’s the Played.

Winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama – This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the benchmark win, the first for an African-American woman.

LENGTH OF SHOW: Two hours 30 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission

PLEASE NOTE: Topdog/Underdog includes water-based haze effects and loud noises including simulated gunfire. The show also features strong language and adult themes. The play is on the California Department of Education Recommended Literature List for grades 9-12. If you have questions about the show’s content, please contact the box office.

“Thrilling comic drama… vibrates with the clamor of big ideas, audaciously and exuberantly expressed… a deeply theatrical experience” – The New York Times